VR Tech Times

The 1.2-litre petrol engine does duty across Hyundai ’s small-car range in India – powering the Grand i10 Nios , Aura , Exter , i20 and even the Venue . While this engine is offered with both manual and automatic gearbox options in Hyundai’s smaller cars – a CVT in the i20 and an AMT in the rest – the Venue gets it exclusively with a 5-speed manual. Even so, the Venue 1.2 petrol accounts for a significant 63 percent of total Venue sales, with the turbo-petrol and diesel contributing 16 percent and 21 percent respectively. We put this version through our real-world fuel-efficiency tests to see how frugal it actually is.  Claimed range is 18.05kpl No automatic engine stop-start function Weighs 1,127kg Hyundai Venue 1.2 petrol-MT mileage explained Powered by a four-cylinder, 1,197cc naturally aspirated petrol engine producing 83hp and 115Nm, the Venue 1.2 boasts of an ARAI-rated fuel efficiency figure of 18.05kpl. However, in our real-world tests, it delivered 10.7kpl in the city an...

The Maserati GranTurismo promises to blend everyday usability with serious performance, but is it a proper grand tourer like its name suggests?  Priced from Rs 2.54 crore for the 490hp Modena , the GranTurismo is the entry point into Maserati's sports car range and is available as a coupé or convertible, with twin-turbo V6 or all-electric powertrain options. Here, we get behind the wheel of the 550hp V6 Trofeo to see what it’s all about.  Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo exterior design and engineering - 9/10 Sculpted fenders, flowing body lines, and a sleek coupé roofline come together cohesively. The second-gen GranTurismo is clearly an evolution of the original, retaining its classic long-bonnet, short-rear proportions. The first gen was a looker, and this one carries forward that appeal, with a face reminiscent of the brand’s flagship supercar, the MCPura . Vertically oriented headlights flank a traditional, snout-like grille that proudly wears the Trident emblem. Stunning ...

Back to one of our favourite times of the year – the annual Autocar Track Day – and we headed down to the CoASTT High Performance Centre in Coimbatore once again. For the 2026 edition, as always, we had 11-time national champion Rajini Krishnan, who would be putting the machines through their paces, but there was a notable change this time around. The track now features kerbs, and using them properly can help with sightlines and carrying more momentum to put out an even faster lap. The few surface concerns from last year were also sorted, and as this was our third outing at CoASTT, Rajini came in with an even better understanding of the circuit. CoASTT remains a wide, fast, flowing track with elevation changes, and to set a strong lap time here, outright power still plays a crucial role.  With the previous leaderboard fresh in our minds, we brought along a mix of the newest, most exciting motorcycles launched in the past year. This included everything from a Yamaha XSR 155 to a Du...

Honda has introduced a comprehensive update to the fifth-generation City . The MY26 City gets new design elements and feature additions while retaining its powertrain options. But how does it stack up against its rivals? We compare its specifications and price to alternatives like the Volkswagen Virtus , Skoda Slavia , and the Hyundai Verna .  Honda City vs rivals: Dimensions: Honda City vs rivals: Dimensions    Honda City Volkswagen Virtus Skoda Slavia Hyundai Verna Length (mm) 4,594 4,561 4,541 4,585 Width (mm) 1,748 1,752 1,752 1,765 Height (mm) 1,489 1,507 1,507 1,475 Wheelbase (mm) 2,600 2,651 2,651 2,670 Ground clearance (mm) NA 179 179 165 Boot space (L) 506 521 521 528 Wheel size (inch) 16 16 16 16 The facelift has made the Honda City the longest in the segment at 4,594mm. However, it has the shortest wheelbase, which is 70mm shorter than the Hyundai Verna with a class-best 2670mm wheelbase. Also, the Verna is the widest and has the largest boot in the segment. ...

It’s a brutally hot day in Coimbatore – and it’s only set to get hotter. We’re back at our favourite playground, CoASTT, with a line-up of some of the year’s most exciting cars. The plan, as ever, is simple. Narain Karthikeyan drives the wheels off each car. Everything is recorded. With his deep familiarity of the track, Narain extracts the absolute maximum from every car. But conditions aren’t making it easy. Track temperatures soar past 60 degrees, punishing tyres, brakes and the crew alike. There’s a key update this year too – the addition of kerbs – helping define lines better and, in places, unlocking higher cornering speeds. It’s an eclectic mix of contenders as well. We have a family hatchback, a beginner race car, compact SUVs, coupés with very different briefs, an EV, a hybrid sports car, a limousine that wants to be driven hard, and an SUV that thinks it’s a supercar. Welcome to Track Day 2026. Citroen C3 X and Levitas Cup Ignis Citroen C3 X and Levitas Cup Suzuki Ignis spec...